APPEAL DITCHED

Ex-trainer turned to drugs

A DISGRACED horse trainer who turned to dealing drugs after his career imploded has dropped an appeal against a two-year jail term.

In September and October last year, Mitchell Butterfield, of Leopold, was nabbed as part of a police sting where he sold almost $15,000 worth of cocaine to undercover officers in Geelong.

The deals came within days of police charging him with trafficking cocaine after his car was stopped and searched in Geelong’s CBD.

The 27-year-old horse trainer from NSW was serving a 15-year ban for doping.

In December, Butterfield was jailed for two years on the drug dealing charges, with a non-parole period of 12 months.

He appeared in Geelong County Court yesterday in a bid to lower his sentence, but abandoned the appeal after being told by Judge Geoffrey Chettle he risked extending the jail term by one year.

The court heard Butterfield first sold 7g of cocaine to two undercover officers inside his BMW in Geelong on September 15. The trio repeated the deal one week later, before a transaction involving 28g of cocaine on October 8.

Another drug deal involving 28g was arranged for October 15, but Butterfield was arrested in Moorabool St. Police found $2900 cash and seven amphetamine pills before raiding his home.

Inside the property they found 10g of cocaine and 3.5g of ice, along with digital scales and cutting agent.

In court, defence lawyer Sarah Pratt said Butterfield’s “fall from grace” in harness racing led to increased drug use and ultimately dealing.

But Ms Pratt argued he was a first-time offender and had good prospects for rehabilitation. Judge Chettle said Butterfield should consider himself fortunate for his initial sentence.

He will be eligible for parole in October.